‘Interludes’ Category

“Instructor Pelnyen is feeling under-the-stables.” The woman in the front of the class was short, made shorter-looking by the poof of the skirts she was wearing and the equally poofy jackets, with braids gone steel-and-ice coiled around her head like a hat. “I am Instructor Emeritus Taablessa, and I am … keep reading

Saydrie’s roommates were talking when he slipped into their shared dorm room for the first time. He knew it was his room; his name (or an approximation of it in the Calenyen alphabet, “Zhadrie”) was on the door, along with the other two. Taigmyor and Pozhvetradov were, presumably, the two … keep reading

Each student in the Edally Academy is housed in a dormitory room with other members of their House and their year. In the time of Tairiekie and her friends, those dormitories are the Nine Towers. The Nine Towers of the Academy surround the central courtyard where once, a thousand years … keep reading

“Now, remember, Enrie, you’ve got to get good grades at the Academy, and you can’t goof off the way you did at the provincial schools.” Enerenarie’s mother fussed with Enrie’s braids, the lay of her vest, the way her shirt sleeves sat, and, finally, with the triple poof of her … keep reading

“You’ll do fine, you know.” Enerenarie’s mother patted her leg gently. “And look, we’re coming out of the pass.” The sides of the pass looked as if they had been cut out of the stone like a slice of cake. “The Pass of Kivvak, right? That was the Treaty of… … keep reading

“We’re only a day out. You’ll be a student of the Edally Academy soon.” The guard passed Saydrie a jacket – it was in a dark purple, trimmed with red and teal. “Those are the Bitrani versions of your House colors.” It was getting cold already, or at least chillier … keep reading

“Look, Tai-tai, there’s the Capitol.” Tairieke’s father pointed out the window of their carriage, rather unnecessarily, as the Calenyen capitol rose up out the cliffs on the Lannamer River like it was trying to touch the sky. “You can see the palace from here, see the spires?” Dutifully, Tairiekie leaned … keep reading

The letter was delivered by public courier with the last day of Kinyozhanya’s secondary schooling. She had been looking for it, dreading it, hoping it. “I got in!” She flapped the letter around as she ran into the back yard, then caught herself, folded the letter. “I was accepted.” “Into … keep reading

“I have every faith in you, Enerenarie.” Enrie’s mother smoothed a pair of pants into the loaded satchel. “You’re going to do us proud; you’re going to do your family proud.” “Of course I am.” Enrie picked up the last pair of boots and slotted them into their accustomed place … keep reading

“It’s almost time. Do you have everything?” The soldier was looming in the doorway to Saydrie’s parents’ house. “Remember, the winters are much colder in the North. You’ll need warm clothes, mittens, boots.” “He has everything.” Saydrie’s mother stood watch over his valise and his trunk as if the soldier … keep reading

“Do you have everything packed?” Tairiekie’s mother dropped a handful of dresses on top of Tairiekie’s luggage. “I thought you might want something for a formal event; they had a few of those when I was in school.” “Thank you.” She folded the dresses carefully into her luggage. It was … keep reading

This story is set in the cold-season before school begins for Tairiekie. “Tai-tai, hurry up.” It wasn’t so much that Tairiekie’s father was rushing her as that he’d called three times in the last half an hour, and that he kept using her baby-name. She was at least a little past … keep reading

Saydrie – (SAY-dree) 15 years old Male Appearance: Saydrie is a blonde, as the far South people still tend to be – his hair is sandy blonde, his eyes are blue, and his skin is tanned, but still paler than either of the other two. He’s build tall and broad, … keep reading

Appearance: Tairiekie has long black hair which she wears, generally, in a relatively simple double-plait. Her skin is a warm olive color, close to this. Her eyes are so dark a brown as to appear black. She has a short nose with a bit of an upturn, a very pointed chin, … keep reading

A study of the paper, On the Nature of the Sira and Its flow by Opaknaipbo-Oset, Scholar of Edally Academy Paper written c. 850 R – study 1002 R. Scholar Opaknaipbo-Oset was one of the first to study aether as a science, although he did so in the era when … keep reading